Who, among us is
not influenced
by the memories
of our
childhood? It is
a shame that
many people
today do not
have pleasant
childhood
memories. Others
may have plenty
of memories, but
have to think
real hard to
recall those
that are
pleasant.

I have been
blessed in that
my parents were
both Christians
and that my
siblings and I
had that
influence in our
lives. Many of
my memories come
from the local
church
atmosphere─and
most all of them
are pleasant.

I remember,
especially, the
songs that were
sung so often in
our
congregation. I
will list just a
very, very few
in no particular
order: “I Love
to Tell the
Story,” “Amazing
Grace,” “At the
Cross,” “Old
Rugged Cross,”
“Sweet Hour of
Prayer,”
“Blessed
Assurance,”
“Just as I Am,”
“Softly and
Tenderly,”
“Victory In
Jesus,” “What a
Friend,” “I’d
Rather Have
Jesus,”
“Precious
Memories,” “All
Hail the Power,”
“In the Garden,”
“Have Thine Own
Way Lord,”
“‘Neath the Old
Olive Trees,”
“How Firm a
Foundation,” and
“He Lives.”
Again, this is
only a fraction
of those great
old time songs,
but when I hear
them a
comforting
nostalgia sets
in.

It is almost
impossible today
to hear the old
hymns on the
radio or even in
the churches.
They have been
replaced by
modern praise
music. Some of
the praise music
is okay, some of
it is trash, but
none of it can
climb to the
pinnacles of
praise that the
old hymns
provided.

Even in what is
called Southern
Gospel, some of
it is okay and
some of it is
trash, but none
of it provides
the gospel
message like the
old hymns. None
of it provides
the sound that
melts my heart
for the God who
loves me.

Some of you,
perhaps many of
you, will not
agree with me
and that’s okay
too. These are
my opinions and
you certainly
are welcome to
yours. However,
I have been
involved with
music since the
fourth grade and
God’s Word─the
Bible─probably
longer. That is
not to say I
stand on the
mountain alone
looking down on
everyone else.
No, I have often
been found
walking through
the valleys and
in that capacity
have found not
just the music
of the old
hymns, but the
lyrics too, to
be closer to the
holy Word of God
than any other
religious music
of today. I have
found them to be
more benefit to
the soul than
any other music.
So many of those
great old hymns
have brought
comfort and
strength.

Most all the old
hymns were about
Jesus and His
gospel. Granted,
some of today’s
music is too,
but most of it
is not. Most of
today’s music is
about “my
relationship” or
“what I’ve been
through” or “how
I feel about
Jesus.” Well,
you get the
point.

I don’t mean for
this to sound
critical toward
other religious
music, as
opposed to the
old hymns, but
obviously, I
can’t avoid
that, at least
toward most of
it. It’s just
that no music of
today can reach
the pinnacle of
“Amazing Grace”
or “The Old
Rugged Cross”
for example: the
music and the
lyrics just
can’t be touched
by any other.
Much of today’s
music is fine,
but it just
doesn’t get
there for me.

I do understand
that these are
my memories and
not necessarily
yours (if you
have any). Some
may have a
background of a
more classical
religious music.
I love classical
music. Others
may have
memories of
Southern Gospel
music. I like
some of it.
Others may have
memories of a
more “mountain
type” religious
music and I love
that too. The
younger crowd
will develop
memories of
modern day music
that will be
recalled in
later years. We
all have our own
preferences,
which are
normally drawn
from our earlier
years.

It is a shame,
however, no─to
me─it is a
tragedy that
nearly all the
churches have
tossed out the
old, Hymn Book
for wide screen
monitors that
usually display
the same words
over and over.
The lone piano
or piano and
organ have been
replaced with an
orchestra in the
larger churches.
Guess what? I
love to listen
to an orchestra
for classical
music, but it
leaves me
hanging in the
church
atmosphere.

By the way,
don’t email me
lambasting me
over not sitting
with you on your
side of the pew
over the music.
I have made it
clear that we
all have our own
preferences and
these that I
have mentioned
are mine. I
really do feel
however, if you
will give the
music and lyrics
of the old hymns
an honest
consideration,
you would have
to agree they
can’t be touched
when it comes to
providing a more
biblical
viewpoint.